Editing Greg Fulton/Fanstratics Newsletters/17 (section)

== Fanstratics Questions ==
'''How will the game teach its mechanics and general systems?'''

When HoMM3 was being developed, tutorials were largely limited to game manuals.  Games were starting to incorporate interactive tutorials, but weren’t given a lot of attention as they took time away from primary game development.  Today, players expect games to be just as complex, just as difficult, but more friendly.  While I have yet to design the tutorial, I have contemplated three potential options.

# ‘Go Here Do This’ tutorial
#* Every gamer is familiar with this typical type of tutorial.  If you are like myself, you don’t find them informative.  Instead, you find them annoying and boring.  Should my other efforts fail, or should I run out of time, this tutorial is my fallback position.
# Self-directed tutorial
#* Most gamers learn various games by diving in, making their mistakes, and learning from them.  Provided the game is relatively fun... gamers keep playing.  A self-directed tutorial would be a ‘trial and error’ experience, but accelerated with a touch of developer guidance.  This tutorial approach is arguably the most difficult to make, but with the most ‘fun’ potential.
# Video tutorial
#* Twitch?  Youtube?  Sometimes, it’s simply better to watch someone else play a game for 5 to 10 minutes.  With this approach, you can also subdivide into basic, advanced, expert, and subject specific tutorials.  If I had to make the tutorial today, I would choose this option.


'''Are there plans to include a manual?'''

I expect Fanstratics to be generous with tooltips and exhibit an in-game encyclopedia.  A physical manual would be limited to a collector’s edition (assuming we have one).